1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical treatment systems and in particular to a reduced-pressure system and method employing a gasket.
2. Description of Related Art
Clinical studies and practice have shown that providing a reduced pressure in proximity to a tissue site augments and accelerates the growth of new tissue at the tissue site. The applications of this phenomenon are numerous, but application of reduced pressure has been particularly successful in treating wounds. This treatment (frequently referred to in the medical community as “negative pressure wound therapy,” “reduced pressure therapy,” or “vacuum therapy”) provides a number of benefits, including faster healing and increased formulation of granulation tissue. Typically, reduced pressure is applied to tissue through a porous pad or other manifolding device. The porous pad contains cells or pores that are capable of distributing reduced pressure to the tissue and channeling fluids that are drawn from the tissue.
In order to use reduced pressure on a tissue site, a pneumatic seal is achieved over the dressing using a semi-permeable drape that is sealed to the patient's epidermis. In order to achieve this seal, an adhesive has been used at times or a sealing tape. At times, to help provide a better seal, healthcare providers have navigated the difficult task of using sealing material to form strips around the wound before placing the drape over the dressing and wound. With reduced-pressure therapy, a dressing is applied and usually is periodically changed. This typically means that the dressing is changed with some frequency—often three times a week or more. When such changes take place, the sealing tape is removed. This can cause irritation to the periwound region and pain to the patient.
It would be desirable to have a system and method that would allow for wound dressing changes with less pain for the patient and without requiring removal of all components of the system. It would also be desirable to provide a system that would be relatively easy to apply to a patient. Moreover, it would be desirable to have a system with a good pneumatic seal formed over the wound site.